Load binder



Nov. 1,1949. w, RANDOLPH 2,436,676

LOAD B INDER Filed Oct. 3, 19 47 Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a three hook load binder of extremely simple construction yet which is extremely efiicient for tensioning a chain around a load.

More particularly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a load binder including a pair of hooks for engaging links of one end of a chain alternately in a step by step movement for tightening the chain around a load and which hooks are so constructed that they will readily engage alternate links of the chain even when the chain is drawn relatively tight around a load or which may be readily disengaged from the slack end of the chain for advancement to beyond the other, holding hook.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the load binder in an applied position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 2--2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a similar view takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the novel load binder in its entirety constituting the invention is designated generally 5 and includes an elongated lever B one end of which forms a handle I and the opposite end of which is fiat, as seen at 8, and provided with three longitudinally spaced openings 9 which are spaced substantially equal distances apart from adjacent the terminal of the flat end 8.

A nut and bolt fastening i is detachably connected to the lever end 8 through each of the openings 9 and each of said fastenings l0 functions to detachably and pivotally connect an elongated loop II to the lever end 8. Each of said loops II, as best seen in Figure 3, has an intermediate arcuate portion [2 and a pair of corresponding legs l3 which project from the ends of the arcuate portion l2 and which are disposed in spaced, substantially parallel relationship and are provided at their terminals with eyes [4 to loosely receive the shank of the bolt of one of the fastenings Ill. The eyes M of the legs l3 of each loop ll are disposed on opposite sides of the lever end 8 and are'pivotally connected thereto by the bolt of the fastening l0 which extends therethrough for swingable movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the lever end 8. A connecting link 15 is connected to the arcuate portion l2 of each loop ll.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 1, the intermediate loop ll projects from one longitudinal edge of the lever end8 and the two end loops ll project from the opposite longitudinal edge thereof and in the opposite direction to said intermediate loops. The link I of the intermediate loop ll has an anchor hook, designated generally 16 pivotally connected thereto. The hook it includes an elongated shank having an eye I! at its terminal through which the link 15 of the intermediate loop H loosely extends and the opposite end of the hook shank is turned back upon itself to provide a hook portion 18 thereof having a bill I9 which is disposed substantially parallel to the hook shank. As clearly illustrated in Figure 1, the hook I6 is relatively narrow and when in an applied position, as seen in Figure 1, the bill l9 thereof is disposed beneath the hook shank and is adapted to engage one endof a chain 28 by receiving a link thereof in the throat of said hook. The hook is retained in engagement with said links by the links at either end thereof and which are disposed at right angles to the engaged link, due to the fact that the throat of the hook I6 is of a width to prevent the chain links, disposed at right angles thereto from sliding therethrough.

The links l5 of the oppositely extending loops H are connected to the shank ends of two drag hooks designated generally 2| and 22, each of which is provided with an eye 23 adjacent the terminal of its shank end for loosely engaging one of the links [5 of one of said last mentioned loops Ii. The shanks of the hooks 2| and 22 are bent adjacent their opposite ends so that the hooks 24 and 25, respectively, thereof extend diagonally toward one another and as best seen in Figure 2 the bill portion 26 of the said hooks are disposed beneath the angularly disposed shank portion thereof and are beveled on their upper sides or edges as seen in 21 to form points 28 at the terminals thereof which are disposed at the level of the under or outer edge of said bills 26. The hooks 24 and 25 are likewise relatively narrow as seen in top plan in Figure 1 and the throat of said hooks are of a width to receive links of the chain 20 which are disposed substantially in the same plane as the lever end 8 and to prevent other links of said chain, disposed at right angles thereto from sliding through the hook throats.

Assuming that the chain 20 is disposed around a load, not shown, to be bound by the chain and that the anchor hook I6 is engaged, as illustrated in Figure 1, With a link of the chain adjacent one end thereof and that the lever B is disposed as illustrated with respect to the chain, either of the hooks 2| or 22 can be engaged, as previously described, with the links located adjacent the opposite end of the chain after the chain has been tensioned as much as possible by manually pulling the ends together. Assuming that the hook 22 is engaged as illustrated and that the lever 6 is in its position of Figure 1. The lever 6 is then swung clockwise on the pivot ID of the intermediate loop H of the anchor hook l6 as a pivot. This will cause the hook 2| to be advanced with respect to the hook 22 and if said hook 2! is engaged with another link of the chain 20, located behind the link engaged by the hook 22, the pull exerted from left to right of Figure l on the chain 2i) by the hook 22 will cause the chain portion engaged by the hook 21 to be left flat so that the hook portion '24 thereof can be readily disengaged from the chain and advanced from right to left of Figure 1 beyond the hook portion 25 of the hook 22 and engaged with the second or fourth link to the left of the links engaged by the hook portion 25. As the operation is repeated by swinging the lever B in the opposite or counter-clockwise direction, it will be readily apparent that the hook 22 is similarly disengaged from the then slack portion of the chain and advanced ahead of the hook 2| and re-engaged with a second, fourth or sixth link in advance of the hook 2|.

As the chain 20 is drawn tight about the load, not shown, considerable difiiculty would ordinarily be encountered in engaging the hooks 2| and 22 with the chain links as such links would normally be held close against the load by the tension on the chain. However, alternate'links disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the adjacent surface of the load are spaced slightly therefrom so that the points 28 of the hooks 24 and 25 may readily engage under such links and the beveled surfaces 21 will then readily guide such links into a position, as illustrated in Figure 2 in the throats of the hooks 24 and 25 thus greatly simplifying the operation of the load binder 5 and enabling the load to be more securely bound.

The arcuate portions l2 are provided at the bights of the loops ll so that for the purpose of binding circular loads, the links [5 can shift in the portions l2 for exerting a direct pull from the lever 6 through said loops I I.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A load binder comprising an elongated lever having a handle end and a shank end, link means pivotally connected to the shank end of the lever and projecting in one direction therefrom, an anchor hook swingably connected to said link means and adapted to detachably engage a link of a load binding chain adjacent one end thereof, a pair of link units pivotally connected to the shank end of the lever on opposite sides of said link means and extending from the lever in the opposite direction to the link means, a drag hook pivotally connected to the free end of each of said link units, said drag hooks being adapted to engage alternate links located adjacent the opposite end of said chain and being advanceable one beyond the other in a step by step movement when the lever is rocked on said link means as a pivot, said drag hooks being disposed on opposite sides of the last mentioned end of the chain and each including a substantially straight shank portion and a shank portion provided with a hook and disposed obliquely to the first mentioned shank portion, said last mentioned shank portions extending diagonally toward one another.

2. A load binder as in claim 1, the bills of the books of said drag hooks being disposed below the level of the shank portions thereof for engaging links, of the last mentioned end of the chain which are disposed in substantially parallel relationship to the plane of the lever, in the throats of said hooks and with the bills of said hooks disposed beneath said links.

3. A load binder as in claim 1, the bills of the hooks of said drag hooks being disposed below the level of the shank portions thereof for engaging links, of the last mentioned end of the chain which are disposed in substantially parallel relationship to the plane of the lever, in the throats of said hooks and with the bills of said hooks disposed beneath said links, and the terminals of said bills being beveled on their upper sides to form points adapted to readily engage under said links for engaging the hooks therewith when the chain is under tension.

WILLIAM P. RANDOLPH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 319,726 Karnatz et al. June 9, 1885 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 360,672 Great Britain Nov. 12, 1931 

